Diocese of Pittsburgh Priest Found Not Guilty; SNAP responds
(For Immediate Release November 14, 2022)
A Diocese of Pittsburgh priest was found not guilty of aggravated indecent assault against a minor with related charges. Jurors returned the verdict today in the Court of Common Pleas in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Fr. Robert Joseph Cedolia was placed on administrative leave in 2019 after an allegation was made against him through the Reconciliation and Compensation Program for the Diocese of Pittsburgh. According to diocesan records, Fr. Cedolia was working at Our Lady of Joy in Plum, Pennsylvania, at the time of the accusation.
These allegations stem from two sexual assaults committed in 1998. Unfortunately, the incident is said to have occurred while the young child was attending First Communion training. For us, using the sacrament as a weapon adds to the terrifying trauma of this crime.
It is shocking that jurors found Cedolia not guilty of these crimes despite the great work of the prosecutors. We applaud and stand firmly in the belief of the victim in this case who bravely shared his truth while taking the stand. We are deeply grateful that he had the courage and strength to expose the allegations in a trial. While this may feel like a betrayal again at this point, we believe that over time, he will be proud of what he has achieved.
Regardless of what jurors, legislators, and church officials do or don't do, we stand behind all who have seen, suspected, or suffered child sex crimes or cover-ups in Catholic churches and institutions. In the meantime, call the police and ask for help to protect your child. Call a therapist, call law enforcement to find a wrongdoer, or contact a support group like ours to find solace. This way, children are safer, adults are rehabilitated, criminals are prosecuted, cover-ups are deterred, and the truth is revealed.
Our thoughts are with this victim, and his strength inspires us. We encourage anyone who may have experienced, witnessed, or suspected sexual abuse by Fr. Cedolia to report it immediately to law enforcement.
CONTACT: Michael McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager ([email protected], 267.261.0578), Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director ([email protected], 517.974.9009) Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President ([email protected], 814-341-8386)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
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